glanced; glancing
1
a
: to take a quick look at something
glanced at his watch
b
of the eyes
: to move swiftly from one thing to another
2
: to strike a surface obliquely so as to go off at an angle
The bullet glanced off the wall.
3
a
: to make sudden quick movements
dragonflies glancing over the pond
b
: to flash or gleam with quick intermittent rays of light
brooks glancing in the sun
4
: to touch on a subject or refer to it briefly or indirectly
The work glances at the customs of ancient cultures.
1
: to give an oblique path of direction to:
a
: to throw or shoot so that the object deflects from a surface
b
archaic
: to aim (something, such as an innuendo) indirectly : insinuate
2
archaic
a
: to take a quick look at
b
: to catch a glimpse of
glancer
noun
1
a
: a quick or cursory look
was good at sizing people up at a glance
b
: a swift movement of the eyes
2
a
: a deflected impact or blow
b
archaic
: a rapid oblique movement
3
a
: a quick intermittent flash or gleam
b
archaic
: a sudden quick movement
Synonyms
Examples of glance in a Sentence
Verb
Glancing down, she noticed her shoe was untied.
I glanced at my watch.
He sat quietly, glancing through a magazine.
She glanced up from her book when he entered the room.
Noun
He gave me a quick glance over his shoulder.
I took a glance at the newspaper this morning.
Recent Examples on the Web
Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 1 July 2024
The trepidation of what success could mean for an entire culture is in the air, and it’s emphasized by scenes of Biggie being chased out of hotels by security despite having a major hit, and members of Cypress Hill glancing sideways at a profile of Vanilla Ice in The Source.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 14 June 2024
Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 4 July 2024
At first glance there was nothing overtly sporty about the gown, which featured a plunging neckline and a cascade of delicate silk organza flowers.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 4 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for glance 
Verb
People may even try to estimate the size of your bonus, your personal wealth, your family’s wealth, your social pedigree, and so on just by glancing at your new watch.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 1 July 2024
The trepidation of what success could mean for an entire culture is in the air, and it’s emphasized by scenes of Biggie being chased out of hotels by security despite having a major hit, and members of Cypress Hill glancing sideways at a profile of Vanilla Ice in The Source.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 14 June 2024
Noun
Cleaner wrasse The common cleaner wrasse fish, which averages just around four inches in length and is found abundantly in coral reefs, wouldn’t seem like an obvious contender for an animal intelligence list at first glance.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 4 July 2024
At first glance there was nothing overtly sporty about the gown, which featured a plunging neckline and a cascade of delicate silk organza flowers.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 4 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for glance
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near glance
Cite this Entry
“Glance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glance. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
glance
1 of 2 verb
glanced; glancing
1
: to strike and fly off at an angle
the arrow glanced off the shield
2
: to give a quick or hasty look
glanced at my watch
glanced up from a book
3
glancingly
adverb
ˈglan(t)-siŋ-lē
glance
2 of 2 noun1
: a quick flash or gleam that comes and goes
2
: an impact or blow that is turned aside
3
a
: a swift movement of the eyes
b
: a quick or hasty look
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